Many people that work at a keyboard experience fatigue, stress and pain in the fingers, arms, shoulders, and hand. Often these symptoms reflect what has become know as carpal tunnel syndrome. The real problem here lies in the orientation of the hands and fingers with respect to the keyboard. It is not uncommon for a typist or keyboard operator to rest the base of his or her hand on a flat support that extends out from the keyboard. This means that the operator has to hold and support his or her fingers at an upright angle while manipulating the keyboard. This leads to stress and fatigue in the fingers, finger joints and hand. In most cases, it is desirable for the fingers to assume a generally horizontal position while manipulating the keyboard. It is widely appreciated that by correctly positioning the hands and fingers with respect to the keyboard such that the fingers extend generally level or horizontal that such has the tendency of minimizing stress and fatigue in the fingers, finger joints and in the hand.
This problem has been appreciated in the past. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,176 shows a support pad that rests underneath the base of the palm of the hand for elevating the base of the hand with respect to the keyboard. In this patent, the author discusses that such elevation of the hand will minimize fatigue and muscle pain in the hands, wrist, arms, shoulder and back. Also, in this same regard, one is referred to the disclosure found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,771. As shown in FIG. 1 of this patent, the support device disclosed therein includes a neck that extends forwardly underneath the palm of the typist's hands. This has a tendency to elevate the hand and fingers and to accordingly relieve stress and fatigue in the hand and fingers.
The principal drawback to the devices discussed above and shown in the above two patents and other related prior art devices, is that the designs offered to solve the problem tend to be very awkward and cumbersome to use. Beyond that, many such hand elevating devices of the prior art tend to encumber and restrain the attached hand and fingers. In the end, many of the prior art devices by being bulky, awkward and restrictive cause more problems than they solve.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a hand elevating device that overcomes many of the shortcomings of prior art devices and which can be easily and comfortably worn.